do watching violent movies or playing violent video games makes us violent?

Question

any body has found change in behaviour after playing video games with gun fight or car racing.

Answer 1

This is a tough question for me to answer because it's always been my belief that all of this video game censorship is wrong and uncalled for, but if I try to think logically about it there may be situations where violent video games bring out violent behavior.

For example, if you take a young child, say age 3 or 4, and make him grow up playing Grand Theft Auto for years, I say that he's very likely to develop some violent tendencies versus a child who is allowed to only play sports games. This is no different then an abusive parent raising a child versus a caring and non-abusive parent raising one - they turn out different in general. However, with this in mind, there are many factors that influence a child's outcome. For example, if a child plays Grand Theft Auto but has a parent there to remind him that it's just a video game - it's fun to play but those actions are unacceptable in real life, he will most likely be much less influenced by it than a child who plays the game unsupervised.

My point is that whether or not these games effect the player is solely dependent on how impressionable one's mind is. If a 40 year old man who has a stable life plays GTA, he will generally not be effected at all. But in my examples above I used children because they have very impressionable minds regardless of their environments. And that is why it's most important for parents to just PAY ATTENTION to what their children are playing so that they are aware and can explain to them what is right and wrong in real life, and why it's OK to play video games like that for fun.

What I believe is wrong is those who want to take these games away from ALL of us. The politicians like Leiberman who want the votes of the soccer mom's speak out against violent video games, calling for a ban. These people are no different then the ones who want to ban guns. These material things are not the cause of violent crimes - it is the upbringing of each person. Good parents will raise good and moral children, 99 times out of 100 if they know how to properly raise a child. Anymore, too little attention and emphasis is placed on raising children - parents are too busy with their jobs or preoccupied with other things when the most important thing should be making sure their children know what is right and what is wrong in life, because it is they who shape the future of this planet. Video games and guns, those are just devices that have a purpose other than committing senseless acts of violence. The senseless acts come from senseless people who will find ways to project their hatred against toward other people whether you take everything away from them or not. If we keep taking things away to solve problems, we're all eventually going to be locked up in prisons so that nobody gets hurt. How fun that would be.

Answer 2

In general, no. I'm sure there are a few people who went crazy and did violent things who wouldn't have if they hadn't been playing some computer game. On the other hand, there are probably just as many (if not more) people who would have gone crazy and done violent things if they hadn't been playing some computer game. And you could say the same thing about any other sort of stimulus in a person's environment. If you want to reduce violence, you do it by targeting the things that have clear, obvious, scientifically demonstrated links to violence, such as abusive parenting, bad education, etc. Not computer games.

Answer 3

Psychological research confirms that violent video games can increase children's aggression, but that parents moderate the negative effects. Fifty years' of research on violent television and movies has shown that there are several negative effects of watching such fare. Because video games are a newer medium, there is less research on them than there is on TV and movies. However, studies by psychologists indicate it is likely that violent video games may have even stronger effects on children's aggression because (1) the games are highly engaging and interactive, (2) the games reward violent behavior, and because (3) children repeat these behaviors over and over as they play . Children spend a great deal of time with violent video games at exactly the ages that they should be learning healthy ways to relate to other people and to resolve conflicts peacefully. Because video games are such good teachers, it is critical to help parents, educators, and policy-makers understand how to maximize their benefits while minimizing potential harms. Parents have an important role to play. Psychologists have found that when parents limit the amount of time as well as the types of games their children play, children are less likely to show aggressive behaviors. Active parental involvement in children's media usage-including discussing the inappropriateness of violent solutions to real life conflicts, reducing time spent on violent media, and generating alternative nonviolent solutions to problems-all can reduce the impact of media violence on children and youth.

Answer 4

One thing I will admit is that one day I spent way too much time playing a PS2 game, Gran Turismo, and then hopped in my car directly after. Driving the actual car seemed a little weird. I didn't go speeding through apexes or anything like that, it just felt a little funny. I never felt the urge to go wack someone after playing a video game, then again I really don't play them that often, and I know how to separate fantasy from reality.

Answer 5

No, if that were the case, I'd be car jacking people and having sex with hookers behind buildings (Grand Theft Auto: Vice City in case you're wondering). That's a huge cop out. Parents need to actually parent their children and let them know the difference between real life and fantasy. God forbid we actually lay the blame on the idiot who commits the crime.

Answer 6

Well... maybe not MAKE us violent but...
They reinforce violent behavior!

It would probably be enough to push anybody standing on the brink over the edge.
.

Answer 7

for grown ups it far less but for young kids the impact is much serious as they try to imitate the violent scenes without knowing the consequences

Answer 8

NO!!! i love grand theft auto! its funny to run people over and kill them on the street and make these crazy high speed races and run lights.......... and i do nothing of the sort in real life. The media just has the blame something. Blame OJ we all know he did it. lol

Answer 9

s.. some kinda games makes u think violently

Answer 10

we have had violence all through history...remember cain and able...no "streetfighter" or "metal gear solid" in those days. or movies like "natural born killers" or "texas chainsaw murders".

i think humans have managed to be violent all on their own without the aid of any sort of technology...our imaginations are all we need to egg us on....